SAM 340 UNIT 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SAM 340 UNIT 5 - Essay Example The sports industry in the United States is developing at a high rate owing to use of improved technology and massive support from the government and sporting fraternities. Professional Sports. Professional sports entail athletes competing as a team or as individuals, and the reward system is based solely on performance. A professional sport is a major international recreational activity that contributes billions of dollars to the economy every year. North America has been able to develop many international players, and this has made the region lead in the world of sports. The use of improved technology and increased demand for sports programming have also made North American sports a hit in markets abroad. North America holds five major international leagues namely, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Major League Baseball and the Major League Soccer (Rosner and Kenneth, 496). There are other international leagues that are played in Africa, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia and they include: American football, baseball, soccer, rugby, cricket, basketball, hockey and volleyball. There are also other professional sporting events that involve individual sportsmen and women, and these include action sports like tennis, track events like relays, and field games like javelin. The NASCAR, Nextel and Professional Golfers Association, organize these events and act as the key management of the sport industry. Sport Agency. Representation of athletes in competition by individuals led to the emergence of sports agency. The sports agency evolved and developed due to high competition as sports agency tried to market their clients in the world of sports. International Marketing Group was the first sports agency to represent athletes in competitions back in 1960 when it first represented Arnold Palmer. There are over 4,300

International Financial Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

International Financial Management - Essay Example Thirdly, firms aim at broadening their market. Fourthly, companies aim at increasing their returns. In terms of career, International financial management is focused to the students who aim at being involved in investment across the border where they will be involved in making financing decision while working managers, investors or consultants. Four key areas that are covered by International financial management include currencies, multinational financial decision making, institution and finance and cross border valuation. This paper seeks to discuss various issues that came about during the half yearly meeting of International Investments plc from various stakeholders. Being the world’s primary reserve, the dollar is a key aspect that helps US government to keep interest at low level. On their part, foreign countries buy the US treasury debt for two main reasons. First, it is an investment that the countries can use to improve their monetary policies. Secondly, dollar-denominated assets as compared to other currencies are the best way to hold foreign exchange reserves (Brealey and Myers, 1991). As indicated by Catherine Mann, long-term global economic health demands that United States and the trading partners to collect internal imbalances as well as external balances. In order to ensure that the future position of the dollar remains strong there is need for co-dependency between US and the trading partners (Grimwade, 2000). In the case of depreciation of a dollar, there will be an economic problem that will involve global re-balancing. Global re-balancing refers to complementary narrowing of two imbalances across the globe. These include e xpansive dependence of other countries on the net exports of the US as well as the increasing US current account deficit. One of the key roles of global co-dependency is that it prevents the dollar from depreciation while at the same time keeping the current configuration of the world imbalances at the best position

LVMH †Fashion & Leather Goods Essay Example for Free

LVMH – Fashion Leather Goods Essay LVMH, known as Moà «t Hennessy †¢ Louis Vuitton, is a French conglomerate and the largest producer of luxury goods in the world. LVMH was formed in 1987 with the merger of Moet et Chandon a champagne manufacturer, Hennessy a cognac manufacturer, and Louis Vuitton a fashion house. The LVMH group is comprised over five sectors: Fashion Leather Goods, Wine Spirits, Perfumes Cosmetics, Watches Jewelry, and Selective retailing. This external analysis will focus on the fashion and leather goods sector, which accounts for 30% of the company’s total revenue. Analytical Tools To grasp a better understanding of the fashion and leather goods industry, this analysis will use the PESTEL and Michael Porter’s five forces methods to assess the external opportunities and threats. PESTEL is an effective analytical tool to determine the social and economical trends at a macro-level. Comprehending these factors can assist a company with its business strategies and vision. Porter’s five forces is a great tool when rivalry is so intense. It defines the competitive intensity and overall industry profitability. Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Loewe, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karen, Celine, Thomas Pink, and Givenchy are few popular brands that form the fashion and leather goods sector of LVMH. These brands have a total of 1,280 stores worldwide. â€Å"The development of our fashion and leather goods brands is based on three inseparable principles: leading edge expertise, constantly cultivated creativity, and a search for excellence in distribution. (www.lvmh.com).† With LVMH’s major strategic priorities to continue developing Louis Vuitton, strengthening brand image, and projecting profitable growth of the other fashion brands, it is critical to understand the external factors that may affect them. Louis Vuitton had another year of double-digit revenue growth. The Fashion and leather goods showed an increase of 7% revenue in 2012. Louis Vuitton’s brand value has steadily increased since 2004 and has eroded its competitors. (Refer to two graphs below). Currently, LVMH has 9.5% of the market share in the fashion and leather goods industry. * Luxury Goods * Louis Vuitton PESTEL Political Factor Politics does not play a large role in the fashion and leather industry. However, issues of policies and country regulations, such as customs, import VAT and consumption taxes can impact an industry. For example, country regulations such as the Lanham Act that protects the sale of counterfeit merchandise. This Act prohibits infringement activities such as false advertising and trademark copying. â€Å"Congress has passed the Sherman Antitrust Act, the Wilson Tariff Act, The Clayton Antitrust Act and the Robinson-Patman Act, along with various other regulations regarding unfair competition (IBISWorld, 2013, p. 36). â€Å" In the US, the level of regulation is light and trends are steady. Economic Factor  Economic issues of late 2008 have led to what economists refer to as a recession. Despite the recession in the past five years, the IBISWorld estimates that there will be in annual increase in revenue of 1.2% to $9.2 billion. â€Å"As the economy rebounds during the next five years, industry revenue is forecast to grow at an even faster annualized rate of 4.6% to reach $11.5 billion by the end of 2018 (IBISWorld, 2013, p. 5).† According to IBISWorld, per capita disposable income is expected to increase in 2013. An increase in income usually increases consumer’s purchasing power; this will create multiple opportunities for this industry. In 2010, the purchasing power has slowly begun to rebound and sustained industry profits, estimating margins to account for 10.7% of revenue in 2013. With an improvement in economy and unemployment rates, Generation Y (born between 1980-1995) is expected to increase their purchasing power. Sales of luxury goods rely heavily on Asian markets. According to IBISWorld, China is now the fastest growing foreign market. With the economic growth of China, the amount of disposable income is increasing which is causing an increase demand for luxury items. Nearly 25% of Louis Vuitton sales come from Asia. Sociocultural Factor LVMH has a wide range of consumers from different backgrounds. It is imperative that they are aware of religion, race, culture, and buying habits in every country. For instance, worldwide people are more dependent on the Internet, signifying that the methods of how people purchase goods are changing. With high rates of travel within US and abroad, there is a greater demand for luggage and leather accessories. Technological Factor Technological advances in machinery and management software can assist in forecasting demand, managing inventory, and speed up production. There are many tools that industry participant’s use: * Management information systems (MIS) and electronic data processing (EDP) * Consist of full range of retail, financial, and merchandising systems * PC-based point-of-sale (POS) * Equipped with barcode readers * Electronic barcode scanning systems Ecological Factor With an increase awareness of animal cruelty and environmental issues, the luxury goods industry should be familiar with the ecological concerns. Ecological trends could influence consumers purchase decisions as well as the perception of the brand. Legal Factor All fashion and leather goods industry will have to comply with rules and regulations. LVMH should be aware of laws that protect consumers, competitors, and corporations. For instance, comprehending labor laws and intellectual property laws. Threat of Entry The Asian luxury goods market has shown strong rates of growth in recent years. Chinese and Indian retailers are making growing fast, which increases the industries attractiveness to new entrants. Nevertheless, old players in this industry have the advantage of sustaining brand loyalty. â€Å"New operators may find it difficult to enter the industry, as these large corporations already hold a substantial portion of the market (IBISWorld, 2013, p.24).† Power of Suppliers The key suppliers in the luxury goods market are clothing manufacturers and wholesalers. Many companies are outsourcing to foreign manufacturers and increasing supplier options. Due to low-wage regions like China and India, supplier power has decreased through its competition. Power of Buyers This industry has a wide range of buyers and each customer should be seen as an individual consumer, which weakens the buyer power. In fashion and leather goods, LVMH can differentiate themselves through the unique styles and exclusive products. Threat of Substitutes There are many substitutes for luxury goods, including counterfeit and homemade goods. However, luxury goods are so highly differential, and consumers with disposable income will make the investment. Rivalry Among Existing Competitors The fashion and leather goods market is divided, creating room for many smaller players. While the industry shows high margins, LVMH has outperformed its competitors. As an older player with a highly differentiated product line, LVMH has a competitive advantage, setting it apart from competition.

The Four Main Purposes Of Communication English Language Essay

The Four Main Purposes Of Communication English Language Essay Communication has been defined as the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another through the use of common symbols. Communication can flow upward, downward, and laterally, that is, from subordinates to superiors, from superiors to subordinates and from peer to peer. Most people want to be understood; they want to understand others; and they want to gain acceptance of their ideas. Rarely would a person deliberately not want to be understood; but even so, misunderstandings, incorrect communications, and failure to communicate can create confusion on a regular basis. Good communication is crucial to the success of both the individual and the organization. It doesnt matter how good a worker you are or how much you understand about the business if you cannot communicate properly. Objective 1. List the four main purposes of communication. We want to be understood; we want to understand others; we want to gain acceptance for ourselves and our ideas; and finally, we want to produce action. What does the phrase: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as soon as you can get to it mean? Does it mean right now or as soon as you finish what you are doing right now or what? If your meaning and the other persons meaning are not the same, you may have the makings of a communications breakdown. Everything we say has at least three messages: What we meant, what we said, what the other person understood. Unfortunately, these three are not always congruent. An accountant made a mistake and he apologized thusly: I read 4, wrote 5, meant 6, and it should have been 7. Objective 2. Describe the six-step communication model and elaborate on each of its points. There are many different models of communication and each has its particular value. The model you have on page 66 of DuBrins book (10th edition) is a good one, but I would like to use another model because it has several things that are really valuable as we look at communication. We will refer back to DuBrins model a little later on. The model I want to present to you has six steps: ideation, encoding, transmission, receiving, decoding, and action. Notice in the comic strip that communications must start with a concept, that is, an idea, thus the term ideation. This first step takes perhaps a fraction of a second; and we can almost ideate and speak at the same time. Ideation requires imagination and experience because the more of each you have, the easier it is to ideate a message. The second step is encoding. This step requires putting the idea into some type of intelligible form so it can be transmitted. Writing a letter, framing a statement in your mind, determining (or even not determining) to communicate non-verbally-all these represent encoding. Consider the importance of education to encoding. Transmission is the third step; and it is the most visible and recognizable aspect of communication. Speaking, writing, and even non-verbal communication are examples of this step. The fourth step is receiving; and it is done by reading the letter, hearing the words, or sensing the non-verbal communication. Decoding, the fifth step, is the counterpart of encoding except that it is done by the receiver. Decoding requires taking intelligence from the message as it is received. This step is responsible for the majority of communications problems. The sixth step is action; if a message is received, then action of one sort or another must follow. Bear in mind that taking no action is one way of acting. M2.1 will help you understand this concept. Objective 3. Identify the different ways of communicating and list their advantages and disadvantages. Lets take the following means of communicating and discuss their advantages, disadvantages, and perhaps some suggestions for improving the communication in each medium. If you have additional contributions, we can discuss those as well. Telephone Written (memo, letter, instructions) Telephone (including voice mail) E-mail Face-to-face Objective 4. Explain the importance of non-verbal communication. Just as regular communication can take a variety of forms, so can non-verbal communication. We can identify several different kinds of non-verbal communication and each one may have some sub-categories. Here are some of the more common types of non-verbal communication: A local radio personality in Tyler, Texas, was hawking a used car lot and his statement was: I bought my last car from them. The obvious interpretation is that the last car he bought was from that dealer. What if he had put increasing emphasis on the last three words? Then it would sound like he would never buy another car from them. There are two main types of non-verbal communication: paralanguage and kinesics. Paralanguage is like language, that is, it communicates something, but not in words. It includes emphasis, vocalization, and pauses (or silence). You already know how adding emphasis to a statement (or parts of a statement) can add urgency to the message or even change the meaning. For example, if someone says, What do you think about it? he is speaking emphatically to you. Vocalization is an audible (or sometimes inaudible) component of a statement that carries meaning. For example, a laugh, a groan, or even clearing the throat can qualify as a vocalization if it carries meaning. A well placed pause can add a great deal to the message, such as when someone says, Im not saying he is dishonest, he is just (pause) creative in his dealings. Can you see the meaning the pause adds? Sometimes a question or a comment can be met with steely silence indicating displeasure with the message: Dad, can I go over to Joes house and smoke some marijuana? Kinesics includes deliberate gestures and other movements which might not be deliberate, such as stroking the chin, slumping, facial expressions, eye movement or body language. Please note that laughing, sighing, pausing, stroking the chin, or eye movement may be nothing other than what it seems. In order to be classified as non-verbal communication, the action must be a communication whether deliberate or non-deliberate. Some gestures might be perfectly acceptable in one culture and highly offensive in another. A television mini-series in 1986 entitled, On Wings of Eagles showed the daring rescue of some EDS executives held hostages in Iran. The man responsible for getting them out of Teheran told them, We need to get a ride, but do not stick out your thumb because that is an insulting gesture. The V sign can mean victory (as from Winston Churchill; it can mean peace, as with the 1960s peaceniks; or it can also be an insulting gesture in some European countries. Shifty-eyed is a label we would put on some gangster or someone not to be trusted. You can probably identify a number of other kinesics examples that add meaning or contradict meaning. Proxemics is communicating by space. Middle Eastern people prefer to get very close while communicating, but most westerners prefer a certain distance between themselves and the fellow communicator. Can you imagine what would happen if two people from these two cultures were trying to communicate and neither was aware of the proxemics preference of the other? Objective 5. Describe several ways you can improve your communications through using or not using non-verbal means. How Non-verbal Communication Helps How important is facial expression and eye contact in communication? You probably have heard the phrase, He can lie to you while he is looking you in the eye. It implies that the person is a skilled liar and that normally if a person is lying, he wont look you in the eye. Alternately, when someone says, I looked him in the eye and told him what I thought, that means he had the boldness to say what he really thought. Looking people in the eye is important because it conveys honesty and openness. Did you know that only 7% of your message is conveyed by words, while 38% is conveyed by your tone, and a whopping 55% is conveyed by body language. Did you know you cant turn your transmitter off? Even if you try not to communicate non-verbally, you are still communicating non-verbally. Read the document entitled, How to Understand Woman Talk. This is a set of hilarious definitions about how women communicate with men with paralanguage. You dont need to respond to this assignment; I just thought you would enjoy a good example of non-verbal communication. Recall our discussion of emotional intelligence in Module 1. The same general principle applies to improving communication by being aware of our non-verbal communication. If you are aware of what messages you might be sending, you can correct, delete, strengthen, or alter the message to suit your needs. I have been challenged in a meeting by a colleague who said, I can see by his facial expression that Tommy does not agree with this, but if he will hear me out, he may understand how my ideas will work. By the same thinking, if you can read non-verbal communication, you might know when to push or when to back off. Skilled negotiators know this very well, and you can gain an advantage in knowing what the other person is saying in addition to his words. Objective 6. Describe various ways to improve communications with superiors, subordinates, and peers. There is a concept called 3-D communication which describes how you communicate up, down, and sideways, that is, to superiors, subordinates, and peers. Consider the difference: Many people speak with a different style and a different tone depending on whether the receiver is a superior, subordinate, or peer. It seems reasonable to speak with respect to your superiors, but consider what would happen if you used the same degree of respect when you are communicating with subordinates Some wise person has said that one of your jobs is to keep your bosss boss off your bosss back. That is true enough and it is good advice. Here is a valuable tip that can enhance your relationship to your boss when you take a problem to your boss: State the problem. Provide some options. Make a recommendation about which option you recommend. Ask for his suggestions. Look what this process does: It shows respect for the boss by keeping him informed about the situation. It brags on you because it shows you have done your homework and you are not just being a whiny baby complaining to the boss. It shows your insight regarding a possible solution and your assertiveness in recommending it. At the same time, it shows respect for the boss by acknowledging the possibility that he might have a better idea or preference. Avoid Sarcasm Don Rickles has made a fortune by being sarcastic, but aside from him, no one benefits from sarcasm. Sarcasm is designed to hurt the other person. It serves no useful purpose, but it does inhibit communication by straining relationships unnecessarily. I cannot overemphasize the importance of respect and courtesy in communicating with others Objective 7. Describe the importance of feedback and how to cultivate it. DuBrin (10th edition, page 66) defines feedback as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the message sent back from the receiver to the sender. That is a good, workable definition, but it is also limited. Certainly the idea of feedback implies sending something back, but you can get feedback on the quality of your work or someones idea of a new procedure. Even though different definitions exist about feedback, its importance cannot be denied. How do you give and receive feedback? Ask for it. This assumes that you have a relationship with the people from whom you are requesting feedback that they feel. Provide for it and be sensitive to it. Sometimes feedback is subtle; an employee might not be as friendly and as open as normal and you may suspect that some feedback is lurking in there somewhere so you may have to go back to #1. React honestly but diplomatically. Thats the dumbest thing I ever heard, will probably not get you the Supervisor of the Year Award. Listen to the feedback. It may be dumb, but you should not allow the employee to know you think that. Express appreciation and act on it. This does not mean that you must satisfy the employees desire, but it does mean you must do something and let the employee know. If you cant do anything, then also let the employee know that as well. Objective 8. Explain the term grapevine and distinguish it from rumor. The grapevine is an informal communications network. As a manager, you should not try to kill the it because you cant; and besides, it provides a good release of tension. Good or bad, grapevine is most active when formal communications are not forthcoming. You have probably experienced the grapevine via your e-mail. A large number of interesting things are spread indiscriminately that may have some truth, but to a large extent are not nearly as wonderful or as catastrophic as they first appear. I saw one recently about a giant oil and gas reserve in western North Dakota that was supposed to solve our energy need for the next 40 years, but the environmentalists have blocked its development. It turns out there is a oil reserve there, but it is not nearly as expansive as the grapevine had it. It wasnt a trillion barrels; it is more like 3-4 billion barrels and that amount would curtail imports for about one year./p> Rumor is different from the grapevine. Rumor is unsubstantiated hearsay and it does get put on the grapevine. Rumor has several characteristics: It is usually interesting Its source not identifiable and it is unverifiable It is somewhat ambiguous It usually has an element of truth What to do about rumor? Dont pass it along. Check it out. Provide honest and open communication. http://www.analytictech.com/mb119/grapevine-article.htm Susan Heathfield is a management consultant with strong credentials in corporate communications. She offers the following recommendations about rumor and gossip: Expect a certain amount of gossip; people want to know what is going on in their workplace, and they like to discuss work issues. The key is to know when the gossip is out-of-hand. You need to act if the gossip is: disrupting the work place and the business of work, hurting employees feelings, damaging interpersonal relationships, or injuring employee motivation and morale. If rumors and gossip seem to be rampant, you might want to look at them to see if there are recurring themes. It may be that you are not sharing enough information with them, or perhaps they dont trust you and are afraid to ask about important topics. Objective 9. Explain why listening is such a significant problem. Hearing is a physiological process involving sound transmission, nerves, the ears, and the smallest bones in the body: the ossicles, comprised of the malleus (the hammer), the incus (the anvil), and the stapes (the stirrup). Listening is a psychological process which requires focus as well as understanding, processing, and evaluation. Listening is work and many times we hear things, but we dont listen to them. You have heard the phrase, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in one ear and out the other? That is an example of hearing but not listening. Most people think they are good listeners, but a study has shown that a 10% listening effectiveness rate is not rare at all; 25% is common; and anyone who thinks he listens at a 60% effectiveness rate is fooling himself. Listening is the first thing children learn but it is the last thing taught, if at all. We emphasize reading and speaking in our schools, but listening skills traditionally have not been taught at all. That is changing somewhat because people are beginning to realize the importance of good listening skills. Have you ever met someone and five minutes later you couldnt remember his name? Sounds like a memory problem, doesnt it? It is not a memory problem, it is a listening problem. You were so intent on presenting a pleasing personality and putting the best foot forward that you didnt have any room left for listening. Actually, you do have the room, but you have to give it some concentration and focus on listening to the persons name. Discuss situations in which listening was not done properly and situations in which good listening skills paid off and report the best examples. Poor listening skills is one of the biggest problems in business and industry today. Poor listening causes low productivity, low morale, broken relationships with peers, subordinates, and bosses. Most of us listen at about a 25% level of effectiveness. Thats not very good. Even when we really try, the best we can do is about 60%. Listening is one of the most important things that any of us-workers, parents, bosses, whatever-can do to improve relationships and to get the job done. Do you like people? Other than a few soreheads, most of us would say yes. If you like people, then you need to like to listen. Even though you may be rushed, even though you think you may not have time to listen, listening is absolutely vital to getting the job done and maintaining relationships with your co-workers. Listening problems include the following: Listening is work and most of us are somewhat lazy. If you dont work at listening, you will not listen well. Having said that, you cannot work too hard or you will be concentrating so hard on listening that you will not listen well. Listening implies passivity and compliance to many people and they want to be in control. Sometimes our listening consists of grudgingly remaining silent until we get our turn to speak. Emotions get in the way of listening. When someone says something that pushes our hot button, we can become so charged up that we dont listen. Objective 10. Explain the process of active listening. You may have heard the term active listening which is the same thing as reflective listening. This concept is a listening tool and a human relations tool. Reflective listening is based on the idea that if people keep talking, sooner or later they will see the solution to their own problems. In addition to that, it helps both speaker and listener to be sure that what was spoken was the same as what was heard. The process works by the listener (the supervisor, perhaps?) listening carefully, then paraphrasing back to the speaker what he heard, or in some cases just asking for more information or clarification. Heres how it works: a team leader complains to the supervisor about his teams failure to follow through on their assignments. That bunch of dipsticks; they never do anything right. Sounds like youre pretty upset with them. You bet I am. I cant get them to follow instructions. What Im hearing is that they wont do what you tell them, is that right? Sometimes using reflective listening makes the speaker compare the reflection with what he said. That may require the speaker to revise his statement to more accurately reflect what he meant. Here are some typical reflective listening phrases: What Im hearing you say isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It sounds like you thinkà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ So youre just wondering ifà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ You sound really disappointed. Reflective listening should not be used to diagnose the problem or to offer solutions. Additionally the listener should not make interpretations as to what he thinks the speaker is saying. The only thing the listener should do is offer a paraphrase of what the speaker is saying. Objective 11. Describe the keys to effective listening. Find areas of interest. You should make a decision when you are listening to someone. Either that person has something to say that you need to know or perhaps you should leave if you can do it diplomatically. Judge content not delivery. Sometimes people are not as articulate or as organized in their communications as they should be. It might be important to overlook the delivery shortcomings and focus on the message being sent. Hold your fire. People can really set you off by pushing your hot buttons. As a disciplined listener, you can deliberately choose not to get angry and just continue to listen. That does not make you a doormat because you can deal with the issues in an assertive, yet tactful way when it comes your turn to speak. Listen for ideas, not just information. Could the words be hiding something important? Later we will discuss the hidden agenda; and how you can deal with it. Work at listening. As we discussed earlier, listening is work and we need to know how much work to put into the job of listening. Remember that listening is faster than speech. Most people speak at about 150 words per minute (WPM). You can easily listen to speech at 450 WPM or even more with no loss in comprehension. That leaves a time differential that allows you to daydream and perhaps lose the train of thought or you can use the extra time to compare what the other person is saying to what you know, identify advantages and disadvantages, and identify the big picture and the supporting facts. Share your experiences on listening in M2.2. Objective 12. Describe why the concept of the hidden agenda is so important in communication. A hidden agenda is a matter which a person cannot or will not bring up, but which is causes him to do certain things or not do certain things. Examples of hidden agenda President Bush has been accused of having a hidden agenda with respect to the Iraq war. His critics say the real agenda was his desire to invade Iraq and get rid of Saddam Hussein; or for some, the real agenda was to seize Iraqs oil assets for the United States. The agenda he presented to the world was the imminent threat of Saddams weapons of mass destruction. Con artists are masters of hidden agenda; they gain your confidence and try to convince you that they are your friend, that they want to help you, but the real agenda is to steal your money. During the Viet Nam War, a leader in the anti-war movement said, If the Viet Nam War did not exist, we would have had to invent it. The hidden agenda here is, We must have something to protest or we dont exist. How should you handle a hidden agenda? First, you have to suspect it is there. If there is evidence that what the person is telling you is not what they really want to tell you, you can reflect back what they are saying.

Worn Path Essay -- essays papers

Worn Path Knowing secret information can be a very enlightening thing. Knowing information that someone else does not helps make the reader feel more powerful. Such is the case when the reader knows of the mythical Phoenix and then reads â€Å"A Worn Path.† Eudora Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path,† the story of an elderly grandmother’s journey to the doctor’s office for medication for her grandson, explores allusions to mythology, including the character Phoenix and her journey. â€Å"In an Egyptian tale the Phoenix, a large bird, retains immortality by restoring itself every five hundred years by setting fire to its nest and immolating itself by fanning fire with its wings. From the ashes a new Phoenix arises. Then it collects the ashes and flies to Heliopolis, a religious city in Egypt, and deposits the egg at the Temple of the Sun. This bird is a direct link to Old Phoenix in Eudora Welty’s story† (Donlan 5). Mythology is shown in the physical characteristics of Phoenix Jackson. There are many events throughout the story that remind the reader that Old Phoenix looks and sounds like the mythical bird. The phoenix bird in Egyptian myth is known for its scarlet and gold body† (Donlan 6). In the opening of the story Welty describes Old Phoenix’s appearance as â€Å"a golden color ran underneath, and the two knobs of her cheeks were illuminated by a yellow burning under the dark. Under the rag her hair came down on her neck† (Welty 2). Another example is when Phoenix’s cane ma...

she never speaks :: essays research papers

Have you seen her? You may have walked or even drove by her more than one time. You may have noticed her glistening red skin, the voluptuous curves on her body, or used her for exercise. I cannot say it was love at first sight when I first saw her, she appeared to be like all the others I had been with; however, she possessed something that I could not describe. When the wind blew it was as if she was calling my name so I could not stay away from her. I have spent many hours in the blistering hot sun preparing myself for those special times that I would have with her. I have shed both blood and tears for her. My woman is not an average female, she is extraordinary. She never asks where have I been or why I have not called. She is content with where she is and does not complain. She does things that other women would not do. My woman is like a dirty rest area, open to the public twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There is no admission fee.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People call her the â€Å"neighborhood girl†. She knows the corner where she belongs to and knows how to please. For her age, she is in pretty good shape. Not just men, but people from all over the country come to be with her. She does not discriminate against anyone. People of all ages, races, classes and genders have access to her. Many people are with her at more than one time. Sometimes there can be ten to forty people with her. When I see more than one person with her, I do not get jealous with her because I know that she can make them better, and I know that they need her more than I do. The first time I was with her I only lasted for ten seconds, but I have made dramatic improvements. She has a lot of miles on her since she has been broken in from the years of pounding. Her legs stretch for miles. They are straight like runways for planes awaiting take off. She takes me places I have never seen or been before. On many occasions when I’m with her, we become one. When I am with her, I am able to distance myself from all the other odors exhausted by others who are also on her.

Fool Chapter 13

THIRTEEN A NEST OF VILLAINS Edmund. Edmund would have to be dealt with, forces turned on him, and I fought the urge to find the black-hearted fiend and thread one of my throwing daggers between his ribs, but a plan was already in place, or one of sorts, and I still held the purse with the two remaining puffballs the witches had given me. I swallowed my anger and led Drool into the castle. â€Å"‘Lo, Pocket! Is that you, lad?† A Welsh accent. â€Å"Is the king with you?† I saw the top of a man's head sticking through the stocks set in the middle of the courtyard. His hair was dark and long and hung in his face. I approached and bent down to see who it was. â€Å"Kent? You've found yourself a cruel collar.† â€Å"Call me Caius,† said the old knight. â€Å"Is the king with you?† The poor fellow couldn't even look up. â€Å"Aye. On his way. The men are stabling their horses in the town. How came you to be in the stocks?† â€Å"I tangled with that whoreson Oswald, Goneril's steward. Cornwall judged me the offender and had me thrown in the stocks. I've been here since last evening.† â€Å"Drool, fetch some water for this good knight,† said I. The giant loped off to find a bucket. I walked around behind Kent, patted him lightly on his bottom. â€Å"You know, Kent, er – Caius, you are a very attractive man.† â€Å"You rascal, Pocket, I'll not be buggered by you.† I smacked his bottom again, dust rose from his trousers. â€Å"No, no, no, not me. Not my cup of tea. But Drool, now he'd shag the night if he wasn't afraid of the dark. And hung like an ox, that one is. I suspect you'll extrude stools untapered for a fortnight once Drool's laid the bugger to ya. Supper'll dump through you like a cherry pit out a church bell.† Drool was returning now carrying a wooden bucket and a dipper across the courtyard. â€Å"No! Stop!† shouted Kent. â€Å"Villainy! Violation! Stop these fiends!† Guards were looking down from the walls. I scooped a dipper of water from the bucket and threw it in Kent's face to calm him. He sputtered and struggled against the stocks. â€Å"Easy, good Kent, I was just having you on. We'll get you out of there as soon as the king arrives.† I held the dipper for the knight and he drank deeply. When he finished he gasped, â€Å"Christ's codpiece, Pocket, why'd you go on like that?† â€Å"Pure evil incarnate, I reckon.† â€Å"Well, stop it. It doesn't suit you.† â€Å"I'm working on the fit,† said I. Lear came through the gatehouse seconds later, flanked by Captain Curan and another older knight. â€Å"What's this?† asked the king. â€Å"My messenger in stocks! How came this to be? Who put you here, man?† â€Å"Your daughter and son-in-law, sire,† said Kent. â€Å"No. By Jupiter's beard, I say, no,† said Lear. â€Å"Aye, by St. Cardomon's scaly feet[35] I say, aye,† said Kent. â€Å"By the flapping foreskin of Freya, I say, bugger all!† said Jones. And they looked at the puppet, confident on his stick. â€Å"Thought we was swearing by whatever we could come up with,† said the puppet. â€Å"Do go on.† â€Å"I say no,† continued Lear. â€Å"‘Tis worse than murder, to treat a messenger of the king so. Where is my daughter?† The old king stormed through the inner gate, followed by Captain Curan and a dozen other knights from his train who had come into the castle. Drool sat down in the dirt, splay-legged, his face even with Kent's, and said, â€Å"So, how've you been?† â€Å"I'm in the stocks,† said Kent. â€Å"Locked like this overnight.† Drool nodded, starting a string of his namesake down his chin. â€Å"So, not so good, then?† â€Å"Nay, lad,† said Kent. â€Å"Better now that Pocket is here to save us, innit?† â€Å"Aye, I'm a rescue in progress. Didn't see any keys in there when you were getting the water?† â€Å"No. No keys,† said Drool. â€Å"They've a laundress with smashing knockers works by the well sometimes, but she won't have a laugh with you. I asked her. Five times.† â€Å"Drool, you mustn't just go asking that sort of thing without some prelude,† said I. â€Å"I said [please],† said Drool. â€Å"Well done, then, glad you've kept your manners in the face of so much villainy.† â€Å"Thank you, kind sir,† said Drool in Edmund the bastard's voice, pitch-perfect, dripping with evil. â€Å"That's un-bloody-settling,† said Kent. â€Å"Pocket, think you could see about liberating me? I lost feeling in my hands a good hour ago and it won't go well for holding a sword if they have to be cut off from gangrene.† â€Å"Aye, I'll see to it,† said I. â€Å"Let Regan vent some venom on her father, then I'll go see her for the key. She quite fancies me, you know?† â€Å"You've weed on yourself, ain't ya?† said Drool, back in his own voice, but with a bit of a Welsh accent, no doubt to comfort the disguised Kent. â€Å"Hours ago, and twice since,† said Kent. â€Å"I does that sometime in the night, when it's cold or it's too far to the privy.† â€Å"I'm just old and my bladder's shrunk to the size of a walnut.† â€Å"I've started a war,† said I, since we seemed to be sharing privacies. Kent struggled in the stocks to look at me. â€Å"What's this? From key – to wee – to, ‘I've started a bloody war,' without so much as a by-your-leave? I'm bewildered, Pocket.† â€Å"Aye, which concerns me, as you lot are my army.† â€Å"Smashing!† said Drool. The Earl of Gloucester came himself to release Kent. â€Å"I'm sorry, good man. You know I would not have allowed this, but once Cornwall has set his mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I heard you try,† said Kent. The two had been friends in a former life, but now, Kent, lean and dark-haired, looked younger and more than a measure dangerous, while the weeks had weighed like years on Gloucester. He was near feeble, and struggled with the heavy key to the stocks. I took it from him gently and worked the lock. â€Å"And you, fool, I'll not have you chiding Edmund for his bastardy.† â€Å"He's no longer a bastard, then? You married his mother. Congratulations, good earl.† â€Å"No, his mother is long dead. His legitimacy comes from the treachery of my other son, Edgar, who betrayed me.† â€Å"How so?† I asked, knowing full well how. â€Å"He planned to take my lands from me and hasten me to the grave.† This was not what I had written in the letter. Certainly, the lands would be forfeit, but there had been no mention of murder of the old man. This was Edmund's doing. â€Å"What have you done to anger our father?† said Drool, pitch-perfect in Edmund's voice. We all turned and stared at the great oaf, the wrong-sized voice coming from his cavernous mouth. â€Å"I have done nothing,† said Drool in another voice. â€Å"Edgar?† said Gloucester. Indeed, it was Edgar's voice. I tensed at what might come next. â€Å"Arm yourself and hide,† the bastard's voice said. â€Å"Father has it in his mind that you have committed some offense, and he has ordered guards to seize you.† â€Å"What?† said Gloucester. â€Å"What dodgy magic is this?† Then the bastard's voice again: â€Å"I have consulted the constellations, and they foretell of our father going mad and hunting you – â€Å" At that point I clamped my hand over Drool's mouth. â€Å"It's nothing, my lord,† said I. â€Å"The Natural is not right in his mind. Fever, methinks. He mimics voices but not intent. His thoughts are a jumble.† â€Å"But those were the very voices of my sons,† said Gloucester. â€Å"Aye, but only in sound. Only in sound. Like a jabbering bird is the great fool. If you have quarters where I might take him – â€Å" â€Å"And the king's most favored fool, and abused servant,† added Kent, rubbing at the rash on his wrists left from the stocks. Gloucester considered a moment. â€Å"You, good fellow, have been wrongly punished. Goneril's steward Oswald is less than honorable. And while I find it a mystery, Lear does love his Black Fool. There's an unused solar in the north tower. It leaks, but it will be out of the wind and close to your master, who will have quarters in the same wing.† â€Å"Aye, thank you, good lord,† said I. â€Å"The Natural needs tending. We'll wrap him in blankets then I'll run down to the chemist for a leech.† We hustled Drool into the tower and Kent closed the heavy door and bolted it. There was one cathedral window with cracked shutters and two arrow loops, all set in alcoves, with tapestries pulled aside and tied to allow in the little light. We could see our breath in the winter air. â€Å"Drop those tapestries,† said Kent. â€Å"Well, go grab some candles first,† said I. â€Å"It'll be dark as Nyx's[36] bunghole once we pull the tapestries.† Kent left the solar and returned a few minutes later with a heavy iron candelabra with three lit candles. â€Å"A chambermaid is bringing us a brazier of charcoal and some bread and ale,† said the knight. â€Å"Old Gloucester's a good sod.† â€Å"And survivor enough not to speak his mind to the king about his daughters,† said I. â€Å"I've learned some,† said Kent. â€Å"Aye.† I turned to the Natural, who was playing with the wax dripping off the thick candles. â€Å"Drool, what was it you were saying? That bit with Edmund and Edgar plotting.† â€Å"I don't know, Pocket. I just says it, I don't know what's said. But Lord Edmund beats me when I talk in his voice. I'm an insult to nature and should be punished, says he.† Kent shook his head like a great hound clearing his ears of water. â€Å"What sort of convoluted wickedness have you set in motion, Pocket?† â€Å"Me? This isn't my doing, this villainy is authored by that blackguard Edmund. But it will work for our plan. The conversations between Edgar and Edmund lie on the shelves of Drool's mind like forgotten volumes in a library, we need only prompt the git to open them. Now, to it. Drool, say the words of Edgar when Edmund advises him to hide.† And so we pried events out of Drool's memory using cues like a cat's paw,[37] and by the time we had warmed ourselves over the brazier and eaten our bread, we saw the pieces of Edmund's treachery played out as in the voices of the original players. â€Å"So Edmund wounded himself and claimed that Edgar did it,† said Kent. â€Å"Why didn't he simply slay his brother?† â€Å"He needs to assure his inheritance first, and a knife to the back would have been suspect,† said I. â€Å"Besides, Edgar is a formidable fighter – I don't think Edmund would face him.† â€Å"A traitor and a coward,† said Kent. â€Å"And those are his assets,† said I. â€Å"Or we shall use them thus.† I patted Drool's shoulder softly. â€Å"Good lad, excellent fool-craft. Now, I need you to see if you can say what I say in the voice of the bastard.† â€Å"Aye, Pocket, I'll give it a go.† I said, â€Å"Oh, my sweet lady Regan, thou art more fair than moonlight, more radiant than the sun, more glorious than all the stars. I must have you or I shall surely die.† In a wink Drool repeated my words back to me in the voice of Edmund of Gloucester, the intonation and desperation in the perfect key to unlock Regan's affections, or so I'd wager. â€Å"Howzat?† asked the git. â€Å"Excellent,† said I. â€Å"Uncanny,† said Kent. â€Å"How is it that Edmund let the Natural live? He must know he bears witness to his treachery.† â€Å"That is an excellent question. Let's go ask him, shall we?† It occurred to me, as we made our way to Edmund's quarters, that since I had seen the bastard, the power of my protection, being King Lear, had waned somewhat, while Edmund's influence, and therefore immunity, had expanded when he became heir to Gloucester. In short, the deterrents to keep the bastard from murdering me had all but evaporated. I had only Kent's sword and Edmund's fear of ghostly retribution to protect me. The witches' pouch of puffballs weighed heavily as a weapon, however. A squire showed me to an antechamber off Castle Gloucester's great hall. â€Å"His lordship will receive only you, fool,† said the squire. Kent looked ready to bully the boy but I held up a hand to stay him. â€Å"I'll see that the door is left unlatched, good Caius. If I should call, please enter and dispatch the bastard with lethal vigor.† I grinned at the spot-faced squire. â€Å"Unlikely,† said I. â€Å"Edmund holds me in very high esteem and I him. There will be little time between compliments to discuss business.† I breezed by the young knight and into the chamber where Edmund was alone, sitting at a writing desk. I said, â€Å"Thou scaly scalawag of a corpse-gorged carrion worm, cease your feast on the bodies of your betters and receive the Black Fool before vengeful spirits come to wrench the twisted soul from your body and drag it into the darkest depths of hell for your treachery.† â€Å"Oh, well spoken, fool,† said Edmund. â€Å"You think so?† â€Å"Oh yes, I'm cut to the quick. I may never recover.† â€Å"Completely impromptu,† said I. â€Å"With time and polish – well, I could go out and return with a keener edge on it.† â€Å"Perish the thought,† said the bastard. â€Å"Take a moment to catch your breath and revel in your rhetorical mastery and achievement.† He gestured toward a high-backed chair across from him. â€Å"Thank you, I will.† â€Å"Still tiny, though, I see,† said the bastard. â€Å"Well, yes, Nature being the recalcitrant twat that she is – â€Å" â€Å"And still weak, I presume?† â€Å"Not of will.† â€Å"Of course not, I referred simply to your willowy limbs.† â€Å"Oh yes, in that case, I'm a bit of a soggy kitten.† â€Å"Splendid. Here to be murdered then, are you?† â€Å"Not immediately. Uh, Edmund, if you don't mind my saying, you're being off-puttingly pleasant today.† â€Å"Thank you. I've adopted a strategy of pleasantness. It turns out that one can perpetrate all manner of heinous villainy under a cloak of courtesy and good cheer.† Edmund leaned over the desk now, as if to take me into his most intimate confidence. â€Å"It seems a man will forfeit all sensible self-interest if he finds you affable enough to share your company over a flagon of ale.† â€Å"So you're being pleasant?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"It's unseemly.† â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"So, you've received the dispatch from Goneril?† â€Å"Oswald gave it to me two days ago.† â€Å"And?† I asked. â€Å"Evidently the lady fancies me.† â€Å"And how do you feel about that?† â€Å"Well, who could blame her, really? Especially now that I'm both pleasant and handsome.† â€Å"I should have cut your throat when I had the chance,† said I. â€Å"Ah, well, water under the bridge, isn't it? Excellent plan, with the letter to discredit my brother Edgar, by the way. Went smashingly. Of course I embellished somewhat. Improvised, if you will.† â€Å"I know,† said I. â€Å"Implied patricide and the odd self-inflicted wound.† I nodded toward his bandaged sword arm. â€Å"Oh yes, the Natural talks to you, doesn't he?† â€Å"Curious, then. Why is that bloody great oaf still drawing breath, knowing what he does about your plans. Fear of ghosts, is it?† For the first time Edmund let his pleasant and insincere grin falter. â€Å"Well, there is that, but also, I quite enjoy beating him. And when I'm not beating him, having him around makes me feel more clever.† â€Å"You simple bastard, Drool makes anvils feel more clever. How bloody common of you.† That did it. Pretense of pleasantness fell when it came to questions of class, evidently. Edmund's hand dropped below the table and came up with a long fighting dagger. But alas, I was already in the process of swinging down hard with Jones's stick end and struck the bastard on his bandaged forearm. The blade went spinning in such a way that I was able to kick the hilt as it hit the floor and flip it up into my own waiting weapon hand. (To be fair, that is right or left, whether it was the juggling or the pickpocket training of Belette, I am agile with either hand.) I flipped the blade and held it ready for a throw. â€Å"Sit! You're exactly a half-turn from hell, Edmund. Do twitch. Please do.† He'd seen me perform with my knives at court and knew my skill. The bastard sat, cradling his hurt arm as he did so. Blood was seeping through the bandage. He spat at me, and missed. â€Å"I'll have you – â€Å" â€Å"Ah, ah, ah,† said I, brandishing the blade. â€Å"Pleasant.† Edmund growled, but stopped as Kent stormed into the room, knocking the door back on its hinges. His sword was drawn and two young squires were drawing theirs as they followed him. Kent turned and smashed the lead squire in the forehead with the hilt of his own weapon, knocking the boy backward off his feet, quite unconscious. Then Kent spun and swept the feet out from under the other with the flat of his sword and the lad landed on his back with an explosion of breath. The old knight drew back to thrust through the squire's heart. â€Å"Hold!† said I. â€Å"Don't kill him!† Kent held and looked up, assessing the situation for the first time. â€Å"I heard a blade clang. I thought the villain was murdering you.† â€Å"No. He gave me this lovely dragon-hilted dagger as a peace offering.† â€Å"That is not true,† said the bastard. â€Å"So,† said Kent, paying particular attention to my readied weapon, â€Å"you're murdering the bastard, then?† â€Å"Merely testing the weapon's balance, good knight.† â€Å"Oh, sorry.† â€Å"No worries. Thank you. I'll call you if I need you. Take that unconscious one with you, would you?† I looked at the other, who trembled on the floor. â€Å"Edmund, do instruct your knights to be pleasant toward my ruffian. He is a favorite of the king.† â€Å"Let him alone,† grumbled Edmund. Kent and the conscious squire dragged the other one out of the chamber and closed the door. â€Å"You're right, this being pleasant is the dog's bollocks, Edmund.† I flipped the dagger and caught it by the hilt. When Edmund made as if to move, I flipped it again and caught it by the blade. I raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. â€Å"So, you were saying about how well my plan had worked.† â€Å"Edgar is branded a traitor. Even now my father's knights hunt him. I will be lord of Gloucester.† â€Å"But, really, Edmund, is that enough?† â€Å"Exactly,† said the bastard. â€Å"Uh, exactly what?† Had he already set his sights on Albany's lands, not even having spoken with Goneril? Now I was doubly unsure of what to do. My own plan to pair the bastard with Goneril and undermine the kingdom was the only thing keeping me from sending the dagger to his throat, and when I thought of the lash marks on poor Drool's back my hand quivered, wanting to loose the knife to its mark. But what had he set his sights on? â€Å"The spoils of war can be as great as a kingdom,† said Edmund. â€Å"War?† How knew he of war? My war. â€Å"Aye, fool. War.† â€Å"Fuckstockings,† said I. I let the knife fly and ran out of the room, bells jingling. As I approached our tower, I heard what sounded like someone torturing an elk in a tempest. I thought that Edmund might have sent an assassin for Drool after all, so I came through the door low, with one of my daggers at the ready. Drool lay on his back on a blanket, a golden-haired woman with a white gown spread around her hips was riding him as if competing in the nitwit steeplechase. I'd seen her before, but never so solid. The two were wailing in ecstasy. â€Å"Drool, what are you doing?† â€Å"Pretty,† said Drool, a great joyous, goofy grin on him. â€Å"Aye, she's a vision, lad, but you're knobbing a ghost.† â€Å"No.† The dim giant paused in his upward thrusting, lifted her by her waist and looked closely at her as if he'd found a flea in his bed. â€Å"Ghost?† She nodded. Drool tossed her aside and with a long shuddering scream ran to the window and dove through, shattering the shutters as he went. The scream trailed off and ended with a splash. The ghost pulled her gown down, tossed her hair out of her face, and grinned. â€Å"Water in the moat,† she said. â€Å"He'll be fine. Guess I'll be going away half-cocked, though.† â€Å"Well, yes, but jolly good of you to take time from chain rattling and delivering portents of bloody doom to shag the beef-brained boy.† â€Å"Not up for a spirity tumble yourself, then?† She made as if to lift her gown above her hips again. â€Å"Piss off, wisp, I've got to go fish the git out of the moat. He can't swim.† â€Å"Not keen on flight, neither, evidently?† No time for this. I sheathed my dagger, wheeled on my heel and started out the door. â€Å"Not your war, fool,† said the ghost. I stopped. Drool was slow at most things, perhaps he would be so at drowning. â€Å"The bastard has his own war?† â€Å"Aye.† The ghost nodded, fading back to mist as she moved. â€Å"A fool's best plan Plays out to chance, But a bastard's hope, Arrives from France.† â€Å"Thou loquacious fog, thou nattering mist, thou serpent-tongued steam, for the love of truth, speak straight, and no sodding rhyme.† But in that moment she was gone. â€Å"Who are you?† I shouted to the empty tower.